Our beloved Gena was born on March 28, 1967 to Eugene and Kathryn Shumway. Her siblings are Shane, Blythe, Shelby, Ladd, and Brittney.

Gena was married to Jeffrey Nielson, the love of her life, on September 26, 1987. They were later sealed in the Manti Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for time and all eternity.

Gena is the mother of Generra, Nache, Nolte and grandmother to Armanii Gene.

The most important thing to Gena was her family. She loved watching her kids play ball and making memories on family vacations. Her proudest moments were watching Generra pitch at CSI and the University of Utah, reading letters from Nache while serving in Canada on an LDS Mission, holding and rocking her precious Armanii, but most of all, just being with Jeff, her freakin’ stud.

Gena loved to play sports and cheer for her favorite teams. She also enjoyed working in her yard, mowing lawns, planting pansies in the early springtime and getting kisses on her nose from her dog, Brodee.

Gena worked at San Juan High School for the past 13 years as a secretary. She loved all of the students! It didn’t matter if they were in her office for disciplinary actions or just hanging out, she loved to help and visit with them.

One of the students shared Gena’s favorite quote with us, “Enjoy the little things in life...for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”

Gena had a very special spirit and a strong testimony of the gospel and of Jesus Christ. We know that Gena can now sing that lullaby to Nolte.

Gena touched many lives with her competitive and caring spirit and we will all miss her.

Card of thanksGena’s family would like to thank everyone for the visits, shared memories, cards, the good meals, tasty treats, flowers, hugs, and prayers.

We would like to give a special thanks to Danny Palmer for his caring and peaceful spirit and also to the Blanding Second Ward Bishopric and Relief Society for always being there.

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